Too Sensitive
by Romanec
Summary: One-shot. 16-year-old Eiri cannot get his first novel published. "Gomen, Uesugi-san. But the public would not react well to a romance novel involving two men..."


**Disclaimer: I do not own Gravitation. Maki Murakami does.**

**Note: Pre-Yuki, pre-Gravitation.**

**Warning:** **T for suggestive dark themes.**

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**Too Sensitive**

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"It's just not going to work."

From his stiff and awkward position in the hard metal chair, Uesugi Eiri's golden eyes darted up in disheartened surprise at the man's words. He could not help but focus on the thick stack of paper's the editor clutched so tightly in his hand -- his manuscript. His first novel. His _only_novel. The sixteen-year-old yearned to yank it from the stranger's hold and run with it, protecting the vulnerable and free words from the harsh, careless critique. Instead, he felt a deep stirring in the pit of his stomach -- the dark anger Touma was always saying would get him in trouble one day.

"Why not?" He snapped, and inwardly felt ashamed for this disrespect. Shame that disappeared when the other man's eyes narrowed with a tinge of disgust.

"The subject matter is too sensitive for the general public," he stated stiffly, and it took every ounce of control on Eiri's part not to sneer.

"Too sensitive?" He repeated lowly. The anger was tripling, and he was sure some of it must have shown in his eyes, because the man backed off just a little.

"Y-Yes." A sigh. "It's too dark, Uesugi-san. You are, of course, very deeply gifted with your words and visuals, and I feel as though your characters could jump off the pages and be real. But..." Another sigh. Eiri's fists discreetly clenched. "the dark thoughts. The mentions of suicide. The ... other things..."

"The rape," Eiri supplied tightly, finally looking down. His head was beginning to hurt, and his eyes felt like they were on fire. He had not been this angry in ... quite some time.

"And _other things_," the editor enforced. And suddenly, Eiri found his manuscript under his nose, being held out by the man. "Gomen, Uesugi-san. But the public would not react well to a romance novel involving ... two men. Perhaps, if you were to change one to a woman, and change the ending ...?"

His head was on fire, and Eiri wanted to do nothing more than escape the publishing building and return to the shrine. Quickly, he stood up, viciously shaking his head without looking at the editor.

Clinging tightly to his words, he left the room without a farewell.

-______-

"I told you, Eiri-chan," his sister whispered softly as they drove back to the shrine, breaking the silence they and Touma had set up since the publisher's office. Eiri paid her no mind, not even bothering to contradict her title as he stared down at the packet in his lap. His headache was quickly fading, tinging only slightly when he remembered why that same packet was not currently being drafted. "I told you they wouldn't take a ... yoai novel."

"Mika."

"Don't scold me, Touma. I'm simply being honest. I understand that Eiri has some demons to chase, but if he wants to write novels for a living, and have them be _successful_, then ... well." She sighed, and Eiri did hear that. He was getting quite tired of that sound today. "Romance novels are between men and _women,_Eiri-chan," she said softly. "It's just ... what's right."

The headache snapped back to full force, and he cringed at the pain.

"_Mika_," Touma repeated, more forceful this time. A pause, they were obviously sharing a look. And then he spoke again. "I'm simply curious, Eiri-san. How did your story end?"

And then Eiri did look up, face blank as his eyes burned with the rage coursing his bones.

"The same way love always ends, Touma." He caressed the title page gently, almost hearing the words beneath. "With broken promises and violent deaths."

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End

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**I decided Eiri should share in my problems. **

**Once again debating a continuation. It would only a be a two-shot if I did, maybe. But please click that review button right there and tell me what you're thinking! :)**

**-Romanec**


End file.
